6 The Glory of Italy and Rome’s Universal Destiny in Strabo’s Geographika Marta García Morcillo Introduction: Strabo and the glory of Italy After reporting the former influence of the Samnites in Campania and in Latium, Strabo describes in book 5 their insurrection against the Romans and the severe defeat inflicted by Sulla, who judged that ‘no Roman could even live in peace so long as the Samnites held together as a separate people’. 1 The destruction and decadence of the Samnites is illustrated in geographic and urban terms, noting how most of their cities (poleis) had been reduced to simple villages (komai) and even vanished. Among the cities mentioned are Bovianum, Aesernia, Panna and Teselia (close to Venafrum). 2 ‘None of them’, continues Strabo, ‘deserves to be regarded as a city, but I, for my part, am going into detail, within due bounds, because of the glory and power of Italy’ (di> t]n tÁj ,Ital8aj dÒxan ka< dÚnamin). Strabo’s reference to Italy’s doxa and dynamis connects the text with the main theme of books 5 and 6, summarised in the famous long epilogue at the end of book 6: 3 Italy’s central position in the oikoumene and its excellent natural conditions, together with the incomparable virtues and greatness of its people, explained, according to Strabo, its universal hegemony (sÚmpasa =gemon8a). Together with the relevance of this geographical factor, Strabo offers a short account of the history of Rome from its founding to its supremacy of the world under Augustus. Rome’s expansion in Italy, he argues, was due not to a conscious imperialistic programme, but rather to reactions against frequent hostilities. So, Rome was able progressively to overcome the Latini, Tyrrheni, Celti, Samnites, those Tarantini led by Pyrrhus, and the Carthaginians, who had invaded Sicily and Italy. Next, Strabo reports on the Roman con- quests outside Italy until the Parthians’ submission to the Emperor Augustus. Strabo returns then to Italy and points out that in the face of the frequent discord (,Ital8an diast©san poll£kij), Roman rule had saved it from error and corruption by the excellence of its government (tÁj polite8aj ¢retˇ) and its rulers. The section ends with an elogium to Augustus’ absolute authority (1xous8an aÙtotelÁ), continued by Tiberius and his sons. 4 87